Villa's Luke Young in talks over QPR deal

Boss Alex McLeish today confirmed the versatile defender is in talks with the Loftus Road club with a view to a move.

Young’s departure could open the door to a bid for Tottenham’s full-back Alan Hutton.

Villa will be taking a sizeable hit on Young, but the former Spurs and Charlton man is 32 and only has a year left on his contract.

And the impending departure of a player Martin O’Neill paid £5m to Middlesbrough for three years ago means the club will have raised almost £40m from sales this summer following the exit of Ashley Young to Manchester United and Stewart Downing to Liverpool.

Young, who has made 91 appearances for Villa, was understood to be keen to return to the capital and has a house in Wimbledon.

But his sale would leave a gap. He has played in both of Villa’s games so far this season. Youngster Chris Herd played at right-back in Tuesday’s Carling Cup win over Hereford while Nathan Baker is a another potential replacement.

But Villa are expected to splash the cash on a replacement with Hutton believed to be high in their thoughts.